Grossi Expands IAEA's Scope Monitoring Zaporizhzhia

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi this week promised to increase the scope of his agency's role at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine. In a May 30 address to the UN Security Council, Grossi said there should be no attacks from or against the plant, that it should not be used as storage for heavy weapons or military personnel and that off-site power and essential structures, systems and components to the safe operation of Zaporizhzhia should not be put at risk. As Ukraine gears up for a long-anticipated counter-offensive that may bring increased conflict to the Zaporizhzhia region, Grossi promised that IAEA experts on site will report to him on the observance of these principles and that he will in turn "report publicly on any violations of these principles." Neither Russia nor Ukraine explicitly agreed to abide by the five principles. The proposals “are in line with the measures that we’ve already been implementing,” said Russia's UN ambassador Vasily Nebenzya, while Ukraine's ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya recommended that the principles also include the withdrawal of Russian troops from the plant and a humanitarian corridor for staff.